St. Paul’s is serving a Vesperal-Liturgy for the feast of the Holy Transfiguration on Thursday, August 5 starting at 6:30pm (get directions).

The Holy Transfiguration is recorded in Matthew 17 and tells of Christ showing forth his glory to the disciples, thereby revealing to them that he was indeed the Son of God. You can read more about the Transfiguration of Christ here.

How should we prepare? A very light lunch with no food in the afternoon is appropriate would be minimal preparation. If you want to observe a stricter fast, eat nothing after breakfast.

The newly formed Parish Council began monthly meetings several months ago. We are making progress towards establishing our mission. Times are tight (for all of us) but we are managing to make it through. We will have a full report from the Council shortly on our progress. Presidents (we have a co-presidency) are: Jack Long and John Hansen, Secretary is Mary Copeland, Treasurer is Mary Jarvis. At large members include Anatole Kurdsjuk and Chris Spina.

After Liturgy several weeks ago we had a lively discussion about Christianity and Islam, focusing on the mosque that may be built at Ground Zero. Since then the discussion is playing out nationally. As some of you know, I am a columnist for Catholic Online and wrote an editorial on the subject. You can read it on the Catholic Online website. The article is one of the most discussed articles on the site.

People ask me why I write for a Catholic site. I write there because there is much in common between the Orthodox and Catholics, especially how we view living in Christ, and our responsibility towards the larger culture. An article published there several months ago explains this in more detail.

We have a lot in common with conservative Protestants too. A good rule of thumb I think is this: We are more united in the honest expression of our differences, than in pretending that they don’t exist.

This Sunday we will hold the Forty Day Memorial for our beloved sister in Christ Nancy Zabitt. Cleo and Stan Ventos will not be able to be able to attend (they are still in Wisconsin and will also hold a memorial there) but have expressed their gratitude to us for our prayers. Thank you to Angela Long who will make the kolyva.

I was informed this morning that Nancy Forderhase, our parishioner from Kentucky, was in a car accident. She told me she would be fine and we would see her this Sunday. The accident was very serious but we thank God that Nancy and her sister will make a full recovery. Please keep her in your prayers. The event was traumatic, it could have been a whole lot worse than it was, and we are grateful she and her sister will be fine.

May God’s grace and mercy be yours always.

Fr. Hans